The fight over a San Jose City Council seat has taken an ugly turn, the latest controversy involving the Silicon Valley Organization as it fights to defeat progressive candidate Jake Tonkel. On its website, the business organization posted — then later deleted — a black-and-white image of Black people in what appears to be a...
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South Bay Latinas target Prop. 15 ads, call them misinformation
San Jose’s Latina leaders denounced a string of “No on Prop. 15” Spanish-language social media ads that they say use scare tactics and spread misinformation. Prop. 15 would require commercial and industrial properties worth more than $3 million to pay property tax based on their current market value rather than on the purchase price. An...
Bob O’Keefe counts on roots in Santa Clara to boost City Council bid
Santa Clara is home, more than any other place, for Bob O’Keefe. It’s where he grew up, and where he chose to retire. Now he wants a seat on the City Council for a say in how to maintain and improve his favorite place. A retired California Highway Patrol officer, O’Keefe is running for the...
Plans to redesign San Jose’s St. James Park move forward despite setbacks
Despite setbacks stemming from the pandemic, steps to create a reimagined St. James Park in downtown San Jose are moving forward. Plans to revamp the struggling downtown park include building a performing arts pavilion, playground, dog park, picnic area and café. The idea, organizers said, is to make St. James Park a recreational focal point...
Spending in contested San Jose City Council races hits $1.8 million
Some of San Jose’s most influential groups collectively have spent a whopping $1.8 million on two San Jose City Council races, pushing to keep the status quo and illustrating just how deep a rift is forming between business and labor groups in the city. Organizations such as the Silicon Valley Organization, South Bay Labor Council...
San Jose City Council: Battle lines being drawn on redistricting
Tasked with the once-in-a-decade challenge of redrawing district lines in San Jose, city leaders are pushing to engage residents in the process. The conversation is important because redistricting could affect how residents, especially people of color, are represented in future elections. Every 10 years, after the U.S. Census is complete, the city must appoint one...
Officials pledge safe election as polling stations open in Santa Clara County
It will be safe to vote. That was the unifying message of elections officials, law enforcement and political leaders as they gathered in San Jose Oct. 26 to reassure voters about Santa Clara County’s election security. Polling stations open Oct. 31. “We haven’t seen any fake ballot boxes. We haven’t seen voter suppression or any...
Suds Jain targets traffic, pollution, housing in bid for Santa Clara City Council
The planet’s changing climate disturbs Suds Jain so much, he says, that more than a decade ago he retired so he could have more time to fight it. A former electrical engineer, Jain is seeking election to Santa Clara City Council’s District 5 seat, competing against retired CHP lieutenant Robert “Bob” O’Keefe. Jain has been...
Beloved San Jose museum names its first female president
The Tech Interactive — the innovative downtown San Jose museum that’s brought family-friendly STEM education to Silicon Valley since the 1980s — will soon see an innovation to its leadership. Earlier this month, the center named Katrina Stevens — the director of learning science at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative — as The Tech’s new president and CEO,...
San José Spotlight wins national Publisher of the Year award
San José Spotlight this week won the prestigious Publisher of the Year award from the Local Independent Online News (LION) Publishers, recognizing our nonprofit newsroom among the top news publications in the country. LION Publishers is an association of more than 300 independent online media operations across the U.S. “This award reaffirms why we started...